Solo Warriors: Incredible Frontline Feats by Ukrainian Forces Personnel

Contrary to the saying, “a warrior is never alone in the field,” Kyiv Post has gathered stories of servicemen who have carried out remarkable solo missions. For security reasons, the names of nearly all the heroes featured in this article are classified.

From preschool teacher to missile hunter: Ukrainian volunteer who downed a Russian cruise missile

Natalia Hrabarchuk, a former kindergarten teacher and now a volunteer in Ukraine’s air defense forces, made an extraordinary shot on Nov. 17, downing a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile with a 9K38 Igla MANPADS during one of the largest missile and drone assaults since the 2022 invasion.

The video shows Hrabarchuk, standing on a rooftop, aiming the Soviet-made missile launcher. After tracking the incoming object, she fires, and the enemy missile explodes in the distance. A voice behind the camera urges, “Hit it, hit it, Natasha, hit it,” as she strikes her target.

Hrabarchuk, who volunteered as an artillery gunner in the “Halych-Volyn” anti-aircraft brigade, credited her success to over five months of intensive training. “It wasn’t easy to shoot down a winged missile. My launcher weighs about 18 kilograms with the weight of responsibility to get a good result,” she said.

This was her first combat launch, but it was the result of hundreds of training simulations. “I am so happy to have been able to do this,” she added. “There are several female members in our mobile fire group, and we all give everything we can to protect our native land.”

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Drone operator Mowgli: Solo mission that eliminated 30 Russian soldiers in 48 hours

In early December, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO) reported a remarkable feat by a drone operator from the 73rd SSO naval center, known by the call sign Mowgli. Over two days, Mowgli managed to eliminate 30 Russian servicemen using precise drone strikes.

“Minus 30 Russian servicemen in two days – that’s the result of preparing the battlefield before carrying out direct actions,” the video caption read.

The footage shows Mowgli dropping ammunition onto Russian soldiers, eliminating them one by one.

Mowgli said that his success is rooted in his prior combat experience. “Being a drone pilot isn’t difficult if you’ve stormed landings, held defenses, and conducted ambushes before,” he said. “Without such experience, sitting at the console is dangerous because you wouldn’t know how to best support your comrades on the battlefield.”

He added, “The burden of responsibility is enormous. Emotions only come when I see my people on the screen.”

Record-breaking HUR sniper who took a perfect 2,069-meter shot in harsh conditions

In mid-December, Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported that a sniper from their active operations unit, known by the call sign “Lektor” (Lecturer), eliminated a Russian soldier with a .338LM caliber bullet from a record-breaking distance of 2,069 meters.

While the confirmed record for this caliber belongs to British sniper Corporal Craig Harrison of the Royal Guards Regiment “Blues and Royals,” who hit two Taliban fighters at 2,475 meters in Afghanistan in 2009, Ukrainian intelligence pointed out key differences in the conditions.

Harrison fired while lying down from a much higher position than his targets, in windless weather and with clear visibility, requiring nine sightings to ensure accuracy.

In contrast, Lektor faced far more challenging circumstances. “He aimed in the harsh Ukrainian December, fired while standing in a trench at a moving Russian soldier in a tree line and hit with the first shot,” the HUR report said.

Lektor disclosed that modern warfare leaves little room for classic sniper positions. “You can’t climb out of the trench or lie down in a tree line because Russian drones don’t allow for that,” he said.

Kyrylo Budanov, head of the HUR, congratulated Lektor on the record shot, calling it “a masterful work that will go down in the history of our struggle for freedom.” He added: “Hitting a moving target at such a distance is a huge achievement, demonstrating high professionalism and concentration.”

In civilian life, Lektor worked as a gamekeeper. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, he has destroyed more than three dozen enemy targets. Lektor says that he selects a specific rifle for each task, and the historic shot at 2,069 meters was made using a Sako M10.

Ukrainian Special Ops sniper who downed Russian ZALA-type drone

In March, a Special Ops sniper made headlines by successfully downing a Russian ZALA-type reconnaissance drone, valued at three million rubles (about $33,000).

“On one of the operational fronts, SSO operators detected an enemy UAV conducting reconnaissance in the area,” the report stated.

Images shared by the SSO show the sniper and the downed Russian drone, adding that “the sniper confirmed his qualification, and the UAV became a trophy for the SSO, set for further study by specialists.” As per standard procedure, the sniper’s identity remains a secret, with his face blurred in the photo. The SSO did not reveal the specific weapon used or the precise details of the hit.

Russian forces often deploy the Lancet “kamikaze” drone in tandem with the ZALA 421-16E2 reconnaissance UAV, both manufactured by Russia’s ZALA Aero Group. The ZALA drone identifies the target, and the Lancet is then launched to strike the coordinates. As the Lancet nears its target, the ZALA drone continues to monitor the strike, but the final stage of the Lancet’s flight is beyond the operator’s control due to radio interference and obstacles like buildings or trees.